Indonesian Splendor: Layered with Art and Artifacts, Five Teak Houses Find New Life as One in Jakarta

摘要

At one end of the architecture and design spectrum are houses influenced by Mies van der Rohe's celebrated "less is more" principle. At the other end are ones like Leksmono and Linda Robb Santoso's home in Jakarta, Indonesia, in which "more is more"—indeed, very much more. "There are 285 pieces in the Chinese room, a treasure trove of Yuan, Ming and Qing porcelain and ceramics, Buddhist altarpieces, and ritual items such as two Chinese wedding crowns embellished with jade, pearls and other precious stones," says Leksmono Santoso, whose businesses include Remote Destinations, a travel company he owns with his wife. The Asmat room contains more than 600 pieces of art, antiques and artifacts— shields, spirit masks and omu poles—from West Papua and serves as the couple's main dining room. The approach is decorative and maximalist. "Leks was born in Malang, in east Java, and spent over 25 years traveling throughout his country collecting objects, often buying items to support people in remote villages," Linda Santoso explains.